Aftermath
by Pen and Paper71
Summary: He'd known that the past would have to come out someday, but he hadn't been prepared for it just yet and certainly not like this. Spoilers.


A/N- So, this is basically Guy's point of view taken after the removal of the curse slot. I hope that it's okay. This is the first time I've written for this game canon, so I'd love any feedback. As a heads up, there is some dialogue from the game itself towards the end of the fic since this scene was intended to feed into the scene where the group meets up again and Guy tells the others about his past. I tried to limit it though, so I hope that it's not too intrusive and actually serves it's purpose.

Disclaimer: Obviously, I own nothing here.

A soft groan escaped from Guy as his eyes fluttered open, wincing at the sunlight streaming through a nearby window onto his face, obscuring his view of his surroundings. A strange ache ran through the length of his right arm as he forced himself to sit up and his mind felt strangely muddled, but other then that he seemed to okay, although it worried him that he didn't know what had become of his friends.

They'd been investigating the forest, right? Largo... He'd been there. That much Guy distinctly remembered. It was after that point that it all seemed to get hazy. Had he been injured in a fight? Had they been captured?

A glance at the room that held him put to rest at least the latter thought. Although the room he was in wasn't one that he recognized, it was also clearly no prison cell. Appearances could admittedly be deceiving, but the windows and door didn't look they'd hold anyone inside. So then what...?

"Oh, good! I'm glad to see that you're awake!"

Guy's head jerked to look towards the entryway to the room where the voice had come from, spotting the familiar figure of the Fon Master. Breathing a sigh of relief, the young nobleman smiled. "Ion, I'm really glad to see you're safe. Where is everyone? What happened?"

Ion returned the smile, but his seemed more tentative then was normal. But why? Guy's own smile faded a bit, his stomach tightening worriedly.

"The others are out in the city. I believe they intended to go see the emperor. They'll return soon," Ion answered, coming to stand beside Guy's bedside. "How are you feeling? I removed the curse slot, but it was pretty deeply ingrained by this point." Ion was silent for a moment, guilt passing over the young man's features. "I'm sorry. I should have done something sooner."

"Hey. Hey," Guy corrected firmly. "There's no need for that. You weren't responsible for it. Thank you for removing it though, Ion." Is... that what this was all about then? Had something happened with the curse slot?

There was an echo of something in the back of his mind. An anger and hatred that he'd thought that he's long since buried. A desire to... No, he didn't want that. Not anymore and, in truth, he hadn't really wanted that for a while now. Then why had those feelings come to the surface again?

Guy rubbed his right arm nervously. "Ion, what happened? I don't..."

"You don't remember?" Ion sounded a bit surprised, but then he nodded. "I suppose that makes sense. The curse slot paralyzes rational thought and yours was deep enough that you hadn't been able to fight it anymore."

"The... curse slot," Guy's stomach twisted more, his eyes now anxious as he tried to remember what he knew about the Daathic fonic arte. It controlled people by using a person's memories, right? The echo of that old hatred and anger born from the loss of his family and homeland remained in the back of his mind for another moment before he forced it away yet again. He was more then his past and he wouldn't allow it to control him.

But... had it already?

"Ion, are the others okay?"

He'd hit Luke in Chesedonia the first time curse slot was activated, a thought that made him feel ill. If he's been able to do that when the arte had been weaker...

The Fon Master still hadn't answered.

"Ion?" Guy asked again and although he managed to maintain his composure, there was an edge of panic to his voice that he feared gave him away.

"They're..." Ion started to say before a new voice calling the Fon Master's name interrupted.

Anise ran into the room a moment later, stopping suddenly right inside the door as she stared in surprise at Guy. "Oh, Guy! When did you wake up? Are you feeling okay?"

"Huh?" Still distracted by the very incomplete answer he'd gotten from Ion and his own worries, it took Guy a moment before his mind caught up with his ears, but he did finally manage to force out an answer. "A few minutes maybe... I'm not sure. Not that long anyway. And, yes, I'm fine. Thank you." Turning his full attention back to Ion, Guy tried one last time to draw an answer from him. "What.. were you going to say?

"They're all physically fine," Ion answered carefully, watching Guy's expression. "What's the last thing that you remember?"

"Largo. We'd found him in the Theor Forest," Guy answered slowly.

"Huh? What's going on?" Anise asked, her gaze going back and forth between Guy and Ion.

"Guy doesn't remember what happened after Sync activated the curse slot," Ion told Anise quickly before turning his attention back to Guy. "Anyway, it wasn't just Largo that was there. Sync was there too and when he activated the curse slot..."

"I attacked Luke," Guy finished, shutting his eyes. He didn't need to remember doing it to know what must have happened. Those horrible memories and those feelings that had once been so much a part of him would have given Sync plenty of ammunition.

"Yes... Do you remember now?"

"No," Guy answered. "But... well there are reasons as to why it would be him." Eyes snapping open again, he looked anxiously at his friends. "He's okay though, right?"

"I think that this whole thing probably confused him, but he's not hurt," Ion answered kindly.

Perhaps not physically, but Guy had a hard time believing that Luke wasn't hurting emotionally. He needed to do something to help him.

"So..." Anise interrupted, her voice unusually quiet. "What are the reasons that you mentioned? The ones that would cause you to attack Luke like that?"

Guy hesitated, not really wanting to answer the question. He'd always known that the truth would have to come out someday, but that "someday" had been a mysterious future date. Apparently that day was today.

Before Guy could open his mouth again to explain, a very familiar voice called out from the entrance to the room. "Guy! I'm sorry..."

"...Luke?" The response didn't make much sense to Guy, although there was a distinctive wave of relief at seeing his friend standing there, alive and well. The confusion and pain on Luke's face broke his heart though, even though he'd been expecting it. What he hadn't been expecting though was the apology.

With Luke stood Tear, Natalia, and Jade. He was glad to see that they were all well too, although he could see just how much this all weighed on them as well from the expressions on their faces. Even Jade seemed unusually serious.

"I... I must have done something to make you suffer. That's why you..."

Guy laughed softly. "What the hell are you talking about?" It seemed absurd to him that Luke should blame himself for what had happened, although perhaps he should have expected the response given that his friend seemed to blame himself for everything these days, a fact that worried Guy more then a little. While Guy was definitely pleased that Luke was trying to better himself, the way his friend was approaching the situation was something that left him concerned. "It's not your fault, Luke."

Leaning his head on his hands, Guy added, "It's not your fault that I hated you so much that I wanted to kill you."_ Stay quiet for a few minute now, Luke, and listen. I have a lot to tell you and you have a lot that you need to hear._ That thought though didn't need to be said. Luke stayed quiet as Guy took a deep breath, preparing to forge ahead with his explanation.

It was time to talk.


End file.
